'In one of the earliest treatises on Tai Chi, an author stressed the importance of developing a "monkey head". Later publishers did not understand the meaning of "monkey head" and assumed it was a misprint. [Ed. In Chinese writing, the characters meaning Monkey Head look almost identical to the characters meaning Throat. The confusion is further compounded in certain dialects as both terms are pronounced the same.]'

It’s true that “monkey” and “throat” share a graphic/phonetic element, and individually these graphs are pronounced the same in Mandarin, but “monkey head” would not be a single character. I’m kind of lost without seeing the original Chinese referenced. Can anyone shed any light on this? I don’t recall encountering anything resembling “monkey head” in any early taiji documents. I appreciate the process that Luo Jihong went through to personally understand the meaning of the term, and the conclusions he reached in his observations certainly square with my own experiences with regard to head/neck alignment. I’m just curious what “early treatises” this “monkey head” phrase may have appeared in. Any leads?

This is only a tentative attempt at clarification. So please forgive its weaknesses in advance. In Hakka parlance, the term 'monkey head' is used (sometimes) to refer to the position where the chin is placed slightly forward and down. This has three distinct purposes;

1) Such a position covers the throat area from a direct attack.

2) A blow to the chin is easily deflected away from the area in such away that does not cause the brain to rattle, and cause unconsciousness.

3) With the chin sligtly forward and down, the spinal bones of the neck are anatomically aligned, and the musculature of the area can relax.

This is actually a technique found in Hakka Dragon Backing, where the upper back is allowed to curve inaccordance with its natural anatomical position. This position is both powerful and relaxed.

It might be that the Hakka term of 'monkey head' was used in the Tai Chi classic under discussion, and that the scholars of later times, (who could understand the concept), wanted to convey its more practical aspect to non-Hakka Chinese people. In so doing, the covering of the throat was conveyed (albeit poorly), and the extension of the neck was all but forgotten.

As it stands, it might be clearer to say that the 'monkey head' does indeed mean to stand with alertness, as the text says, but that in so doing, the chin is placed slightly forward, so that it covers the throat area, thus extending the neck. This allows all to be correctly aligned for the generation and transference of Qi.

In the Hakka dialect, the term 'monkey head' is pronounced 'mahlow tow'. Whilst 'throat' is generally pronounced 'how', but can be pronounced in its longer form of 'how lung'.

The second pronounciation of 'how lung', would be written with two chinese characters - whilst 'monkey head' - 'mahlow tow' is written with three characters.

Thank you</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, well in Mandarin, "monkey head" would be "houtou," and "throat" would be "houlong." I don't know that Hakka dialect comes into the picture here. Again, without seeing the manuscript referred to by Mr. Luo Jihong, it's difficult to assess the provenance of this "monkey head" idea.

Yes of course, assuming that the Tai Chi Classic was written in Putonghua (modern manderin) script - which is what I assume you are calling Manderin? Rather than Guanyu (classical Manderin) script, or one or two of the other versions of Manderin.

The point being that in our living Hakka tradition, the term 'monkey head' is common. Master Luo was of course, a Hakka (that is, Kejia), and might well have undestood this concept much more readily. Hakka language is often similar to the Beijing dialect, and some researchers are of the opinion that Hakka language might be the fore-runner to the so-called Guanyu. Putonghua is 'simplified' script, reducing concepts to their written minimum. Hakka, being older, tends to have fuller explanations for concepts.

I don’t question that there is a Hakka term for “monkey head,” but what perplexes me is that your description of it—that it refers to “the position where the chin is placed slightly forward and down” is at odds with Luo Jihong’s:

‘My father noticed how they held their heads as they began to rise up on their hind legs. Their heads were held high with their chins slightly tucked in. He began to imitate this posture in this practice and immediately noticed an improvement in the flow of his Chi. This is what the old masters meant by "monkey head"!’

Moreover, Luo’s description is completely in accordance with my understanding of traditional taijiquan prescriptions for head/neck alignment, whereas positioning the chin “slightly forward and down” appears to contradict those prescriptions.

There is some explanation of provenance here: http://blog.xuite.net/fan888/blog3/10238944Gu Liuxin is quoted as saying "I suspect it was written by Song Shuming himself and passed off as dating from the Tang dynasty" ç–‘ç‚ºå®‹æ›¸éŠ˜è‡ªè‘—ï¼Œè¨—å§‹æ–¼å”äºº

I'm kind of inclined to agree with Gu Liuxin on the dating. One thing that caught my eye immediately in the text is the term “dixin.” I would be inclined to read that as “center of the earth,” or, “earth’s core,” as in “dixin yinli” (gravitation). If it is in fact “earth’s core,” that would put serious doubt on a Tang dynasty provenance for this text. The term dixin did not emerge in China until the late Qing dynasty. One of the commentaries in the Taijiquan pu says that “dixin” could mean “xindi,” a moral term. That strikes me as implausible, given that the other “leaders” and “followers” referred to in the text are clearly physical and physiological. On the other hand, the intriguing notion that a text of this kind would explicitly or implicitly refer to the body’s interaction with gravity seems fairly advanced, even for the late Qing.

as I am sure you are aware Wu Tunan claims that the first text was given him by a friend in 1908. A few years later while visiting Song Shuming it was found that the text was basically identical to that in possession of Song, who claimed having received it inside his family.Nowhere it is said that the (physical) text we have today dates the Tang dynasty, but only that the tradition was passed inside Song's family since then. WTN's disciple Ma Youqing, who owns the text, claims that his copy is early Qing. I have proof*** that, however, his is only ONE copy of the various made by WTN for the group of seven people that visited Song. The text was most probably passed orally in a number of traditions and was only put to written form later, which explains the issued you are mentioning.I have prepared a couple of articles on this very topic but given new findings I am still working on them.

I'm kind of inclined to agree with Gu Liuxin on the dating. One thing that caught my eye immediately in the text is the term “dixin.” I would be inclined to read that as “center of the earth,” or, “earth’s core,” as in “dixin yinli” (gravitation). If it is in fact “earth’s core,” that would put serious doubt on a Tang dynasty provenance for this text. The term dixin did not emerge in China until the late Qing dynasty. One of the commentaries in the Taijiquan pu says that “dixin” could mean “xindi,” a moral term. That strikes me as implausible, given that the other “leaders” and “followers” referred to in the text are clearly physical and physiological. On the other hand, the intriguing notion that a text of this kind would explicitly or implicitly refer to the body’s interaction with gravity seems fairly advanced, even for the late Qing.

I have more questions than answers regarding this text.

Take care,Louis</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Louis

I finally have a chance to read the link Jerry post which is in Chinese. But not sure if it in Cantonese or Mandarin. It explains the term "dixin" (di/earth and xin/heart) is mean the Bubble Spring point on the heart of the sole (almost). I think it is very logical for the Chinese as they use the yao (waist) #1 for the middle body as the axles for spiral force and the "monkey head",#2 for the up left the "spirit" skyward and the Bubble Spring #3 for the sink the chi into the earth. Anyway it did clearly state dixin is for the Bubble Spring.FWIW.

By the way, it also did clearly state the two word of monkey and throat in Chinese with their reasoning. I let you decide how to use it.

I thank you for all your hard work to our benefit.

Ciao and have a good Chinese Mooning night (the Chinese Moon Festival is on)yslim